DGA has right Mann for kudos

Oscar winner to receive Honorary Life Member Award

HOLLYWOOD — Oscar-winning director Delbert Mann, a past president of the Directors Guild of America, has been tapped to receive the DGA’s Honorary Life Member Award.

The kudos, to be awarded at the guild’s March 9 award ceremonies at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, recognizes “outstanding creative achievement, or contribution to the DGA or the profession of directing.” Past recipients include Frank Capra, Gil Cates, Charlie Chaplin, Charles Champlin, Barry Diller, Walt Disney, Elia Kazan, David Lean, Louis B. Mayer, Jack L. Warner, Robert Wise and Jack Valenti.

Half-century of achievement

“Del Mann’s awe-inspiring work over the course of nearly 50 years and his leadership at the DGA has earned him the award that honors his contribution to the guild and to the profession of directing,” said DGA president Jack Shea. “I am proud to say that I began my own career working as a stage manager for Del Mann.”

Mann became a member of the DGA in 1954 and was elected to its board in 1958. He was its president from 1967-71 and received the DGA Robert B. Aldrich Award for extraordinary service to the guild in ’97.

Mann won the DGA Award and an Academy Award in 1955 for “Marty,” which also won the Oscar for best picture. He received DGA nominations for the feature “The Dark at the Top of the Stairs” and for TV movies “Heidi,” “David Copperfield,” “Jane Eyre,” “All Quiet on the Western Front” and “The Member of the Wedding.” He also received a Golden Globe for “All Quiet on the Western Front” and Emmy nominations for “Our Town,” “Breaking Up” and “All Quiet on the Western Front.”